1. Field Of The Invention
The invention relates to an expandable receptacle hanger, more particularly expandable closet hangers.
2. Background Art
A pants hanger is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,335,243. The pants hanger includes a rigid, non-collapsible flat body, and an enlarged member which is adjustably mounted at the lower portion of the body and has an arcuate surface of substantial diameter. There are devices on opposite sides of the top of the flat body for attachment to separate portions of the pants. The devices on one side of the body have a pair of elongated strips adapted for insertion through the belt-loops of the pants, and flexible members which separately connect the strips to the body. The devices on the opposite side of the body have a clamp adapted for removable engagement with the cuff-ends of the pants, a yieldable element connected to the clamp and means for adjustably connecting the yieldable element to the upper portion of the flat body.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,500,641 discloses garment hangers which include a central support member, a hook element fixed to an end of the support member, and a plurality of similarly spaced cross members spaced uniformly from the hook element. Each of the cross members has its inner portion securely fixed to the support member at substantially spaced uniform intervals therealong to provide two substantially parallel rows of arms along the opposite sides of the support member. The spacing between the inner ends of the arms of each pair is equal to or substantially less than the spacing between adjacent cross members. The cross members are shaped so that each of the arms formed thereby extends from the support member in a substantially straight line and at substantially the same angle. The angle is such that the arms slope toward one end of the support member. There are elements at and integral with the ends of the arms. Each element is disposed at substantially the same angle so as to extend toward one end of the central support member. The latter angle is greater than the angle between the arms and the central support member.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,180,489 discloses a garment hanger and support therefor. There is a support, two parallel rails fixed thereto, and a hanger structure removably mounted on the rails. The hanger structure has a straight main portion .adapted to receive a garment thereover in folded conditions, and an inwardly directed bent portion extending from each end of the main portion. The bent portions terminate in free opposite spaced ends which are apart and are spaced from the main portion. The free ends of the bent portions are directed toward the main portion and approach each other to such extent as to provide a space therebetween to render freely accessible most of the main portion for unobstructed reception of the garment. The ends of the inwardly directed bent portions coact with the main portion to grip the garment therebetween.
See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,786,190 and 4,209,156.
Expandable brief cases are known. In one version, the brief case has a lid pivotally attached to the bottom portion. The height of the bottom portion can be varied by an accordion-like expansion element in each of the four vertical walls of the bottom portion.
Garment bags are known which have sides that are distortable thereby providing a limited expansion feature.